How to Survive a Seafood Allergy

Allergies vary based on the level in which we react to each allergen. Some allergies merely cause us to get a rash while others can send you to the hospital’s emergency department. Let us tell you more at Cooks County Restaurant.

Seafood makes up more than 90% of worldwide food allergens. It is considered one of the worst food-related allergens aside from dairy products and nuts.

It’s difficult to determine what types of seafood you’re allergic to. Even if you’re only allergic to a single type of seafood, many will still cause you to react as they came from the same place.

Not only that but some foods contain seafood that you wouldn’t expect. It is my goal in this article to inform you how you can still enjoy foods, even some seafood, with little risk to yourself.

You May Not be Born with It

One must be especially careful of seafood as allergies to it may develop at an older age. The average seafood allergy develops in adults more than in children or infants. You may eat seafood for your entire adolescent life and then suddenly feel ill in your twenties.

Unfortunately, even if your allergy develops when you’re an adult, you will likely carry it for the rest of your life. The reasons are that your body has started rejecting the proteins in that seafood. It sees them as dangerous and tries to destroy them when you eat it.

Besting Seafood with Your Immune System

As I mentioned, your immune system targets certain proteins in seafood, thinking of them as a threat. Knowing this can allow us to figure out which seafood will cause a reaction and which will not.

Certain kinds of seafood contain different protein arrangements. If you can determine which of these proteins is being rejected by your immune system, you should be safe to eat the types of seafood that don’t contain them.

You should still be careful when trying to work this through. Even if your allergy doesn’t seem that severe, it could get worse over time. Avoiding all proteins may be better than risking exposure to the allergen.

Dangerous Foods

Some regular foods contain seafood products that you wouldn’t expect. Some of the most common include the following:

Spring Rolls

Marshmallows

Salad Dressing

Broth

Certain Sauces/Dips/Spreads

Sausages

If you’ve noticed an allergy to seafood, you should be careful about these foods and any foods similar to them as well, just to be safe.

Overview

Seafood allergies are confusing at times. Your reaction may change with each exposure. Most allergies can be easily controlled if you are aware enough.

If you really love to eat seafood, the best thing to do is consult a doctor and let them help you determine the proteins to avoid. However, the easiest option is to avoid seafood altogether.

Whether you decide to eat seafood or not, make sure to be prepared with any medical needs you may have upon reacting to the allergen. As we all know, it is better to be safe than sorry!